Monday May 5, 2008

Contact: Rita Radostitz, Media Relations Liaison, Eugene 08

[email protected], 541-556-8165

Athletes Encouraged to Complete Entry & Lodging Arrangements for Olympic Trials

Eugene, OR

Athletes planning to compete inthe 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field are urged to enter as soon as possible, in order to ensure that they are able to sercure lodging and transportation for themselves, their coaches and support teams.

University of Oregon Director of Track and Field and Eugene 08 Co-Chair Vin Lananna says "We want to be sure that the athletes are accommodated first, so we are encouraging all athletes to enter the meet now to secure transportation and housing, secure credentials for their coach and/or representative and purchase tickets for family members. We cannot address housing, ticket, and transportation needs if athletes and coaches are not in the system. After entering, athletes can continue to update their marks until the final day of qualifying. We are pleased that we were able to secure housing at reduced rates and set aside tickets for family and friends, but athletes should make their arrangements now or it will be difficult to meet their needs. We can only hold on to the rooms for a limited time."

"In all the years I have been involved in the sport of track and field," Coach Lananna goes on to say, "I've never experienced an outpouring of information readily available to coaches and athletes like I have seen with these Olympic Trials. The Local Organizing Committee is working hard to achieve its goal of hosting the most athlete friendly meet ever produced."

Couch Lananna points out that in Track Town USA, the conditions are different than for most track meets: "Coaches and athletes may be accustomed to securing housing, tickets and transportation right before the meet. But the excitement surrounding this event has been so great that all tickets which we have released have already sold out."

Detailed information is available on the Eugene 08 website eugene08.com and the USA Track & Field website usatf.org

Eugene08 is the operating name for the Eugene 08 Festival surrounding the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field being held at Hayward Field in Eugene on June 27-July 6, 2008.

The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field refers to the competitive meet used to select Team USA, and is awarded by USA Track & Field, the national governing body for the sport as recognized by the US Olympic Committee. All references to Eugene 08 and the Olympic Team Trials are by permission of the USOC.